By Talla Aghaa Christopher & Daniela Neba Ngum
Monday September 3rd 2018 was the official day set for the start of the 2018-2019 academic year throughout the national territory. While school bells rang in other towns in the Country with students and pupils feeling happy being back to school after the long vacation, the situation in Meme Division of the South West Region was very different. The entire education family as well as parents, students and pupils, got up that most heralded day only to witness deserted streets void of yellow cabs, commercial bikes and no movements of persons. Commercial areas where all closed, including banks, and majority of government offices equally closed.
The Sun gathered that, it was the traditional “kontri Sunday” which is respected every Monday across most towns of the North West and South West regions in Cameroon, as declared by pro independence fighters.
However The Sun made stops at some schools in Kumba, chief town of Meme, hosting more than 100 schools and colleges to gather the temperature of the back-to- school fever in the Green City.
At Government High School Kake, just like in PHS Kumba and Full Gospel College all situated at mile 1, Mbonge road Kumba, there was no sign of effective school resumption. No student could be seen around the various campuses visited. The sad situation was at GHS Kake in Kumba 1 Sub Division, as the school was still in what one could easily described as a mini forest, as it was still begging for cleaning by the school authorities. All attempts to contact the Principal of the College were fruitless as even no staff member of the school could be spotted around the campus. At PHS Kumba, there was equally no student but there were signs that the school was virtually set for the 2018/2019 academic year. The entire school had received a partial face lift. This was the same situation in traditional colleges like CCAS Kumba, GBHS Kumba up Station, CCHS, St Francis College, and GBHS Kosala.
However a form 5 Student of a popular High School in Kumba who is making brisk business at the Kumba main market averred to The Sun that she will only be going to school after the October 7th 2018 Presidential elections.
In some government institutions, teachers were found loitering around their campuses showing signs of readiness to teach though with the absent of learners.
Meanwhile, some school compounds are still covered with grasses and remained closed showing no signs of school reopening.
Students on the other hand have engaged in petite businesses. Most of them hawk the streets with items prepared by their parents. Some however, assist their parents to sell at their shops in the market.
Marie-Louis Anga a Form Three student selling boiled groundnut said ‘I want to go to school but am scared of gunshots, my parents have asked me to stay at home until things go back to normal before I can go to school’
Another student selling in the market who monster the courage to go to school on Tuesday September 4th said they were asked to come back after the Presidential elections on October 7.‘I went to school today but I and other students present were asked to and come back after the elections’, she disclosed.
Security
Meantime security in most campuses has been tightened to curb any attack on the learners and their teachers.
Military has intensified their patrol to the various campuses in order to ensure a serene and conducive environment for learning.
Head Teachers and Principals have been visiting their delegations to derive measures to ensure an effective start of the academic year.
In a recent outing the Senior Divisional Officer, SDO for Meme, Chamberlain Ntou’ou Ndong called on municipal authorities of the five Sub-Divisional Councils that make up the Division to assist these institutions with the finances needed to put in a stand by security posts.
This he said is a temporal measure and the institutions will continue thereafter with funds raised from the Parents Teachers Association, PTA.
The story of back- to- school in other parts of the Division in Konye, and Mbonge Sub Divisions is very pathetic. While many students and pupils are still in bushes following arm conflicts between pro-independence fighters and the military, their villages and schools have been burnt down by unidentified men and thus making it difficult for them to go back to school.
Mass exodus of students
While the 2018-2019 academic year has already started through the national territory but for the timid start in the North West and South West Regions, mass exodus of pupils and students out of Kumba is being witnessed daily in Meme Division. Motor parks are overcrowded and busy with school going children and students leaving to continue schooling in other towns of the country like Mbanga, Douala, Yaounde, and Nkongsamba.
A parent who spoke to The Sun on board a vehicle ready to take off out of Kumba to Souza in the Moungo Division to enroll his children hinted that, the way he sees things, schools will hardly resume in Kumba, reason why he is taking his three children who have been at home for the past two years to attend school there. He hinted that he knows it will be very expensive for him but the education of his children is paramount.